Sitaram Yechury, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), expressed his views on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) as a political tool used by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to fuel communal polarization. He shared these remarks during a seminar organized by the CPM against the proposed implementation of the UCC in Kozhikode’s Swapna Nagari.
Yechury emphasized the need for correcting discriminatory laws through comprehensive community consultations rather than imposing the UCC from the top. He highlighted that uniformity should not be mistaken for equality, as the CPI(M) advocates for equality in line with the principles enshrined in the Indian Constitution. According to Yechury, this fight for equality revolves around recognizing everyone’s humanity before any other considerations.
Yechury praised Kerala as a state where he is treated as a human being without being asked about his religion or caste, making it an exception in this regard. He cautioned against the imposition of uniformity, citing the 21st Law Commission’s findings that deemed the UCC unnecessary and undesirable at the current stage. Yechury argued that the UCC is merely a slogan used by the BJP to exacerbate communal polarization, rather than a genuine pursuit of uniformity.
The seminar, attended by various Muslim community associations such as Samastha Kerala, featured a lineup of 28 speakers. Notably, the absence of Muslim women speakers was observed. E P Jayarajan, the convener of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), was also notably missing from the event.
Prominent figures like MP Elamaram Kareem, MP Jose K Mani, and ministers P A Mohammed Riyas, A K Saseendran, and Ahmed Devarkovil were invited to the event, along with Thamarassery bishop Pamplani.
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